Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film)
| runtime = 86 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = $7 million | gross = $16,624,456 }} Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a 1992 American action/comedy film about a Valley girl cheerleader named Buffy (Kristy Swanson) who learns that it is her fate to hunt vampires.A look inside Hollywood and the movies : SUMMERTIME BRUISE : Who Dares Intrude During the Season of the Giants? Several Rock-Slinging Davids - Los Angeles Times The film starred Swanson, Donald Sutherland, Paul Reubens, Rutger Hauer, Luke Perry and Hilary Swank. It was a moderate success at the box office, but received mixed reception from critics. The film was taken in a different direction than its writer, Joss Whedon, intended, but several years later he was able to create the darker and more acclaimed TV series of the same name.So, Like, She Hates Vampires, Y'Know? - Los Angeles Times Plot Buffy Summers (Kristy Swanson) is introduced as a stereotypical cheerleader at Hemery High School in Los Angeles. She is a carefree popular girl whose main concerns are shopping and spending time with her friends. While at school one day, she is approached by a man named Merrick Jamison-Smythe (Donald Sutherland). He informs her that she is The Slayer, or chosen one, and he is a Watcher whose duty it is to guide and train her. She initially refuses to believe his claims, but becomes convinced when he is able to describe a recurring dream of hers in detail. Over the course of her training, she befriends Oliver Pike (Luke Perry), whose best friend has recently become a vampire. Oliver becomes the male equivalent of the traditional "damsel in distress", being rescued by Buffy or Merrick on several occasions. However, their relationship gradually becomes romantic and Oliver becomes her partner in fighting the undead. After several successful outings, Buffy is drawn into conflict with a local vampire king named Lothos (Rutger Hauer), who has killed a number of past Slayers. Lothos then kills Merrick as well, giving her the motivation she needs to face him in battle. They eventually clash during the middle of the senior dance at Buffy's high school. Through the use of her own unconventional methods, she is able to defeat Lothos and his minions. Cast * Kristy Swanson as Buffy Summers * Donald Sutherland as Merrick Jamison-Smythe * Paul Reubens as Amilyn * Rutger Hauer as Lothos * Luke Perry as Oliver Pike * Hilary Swank as Kimberly Hannah * David Arquette as Benny Jacks * Stephen Root as Gary Murray * Natasha Gregson Wagner as Cassandra * Tom Jane as Zeph * Candy Clark as Mrs. Summers * Randall Batinkoff as Jeffrey Kramer * Ben Affleck (uncredited) as Basketball Player #10 * Ricki Lake (uncredited) as Charlotte * Seth Green (uncredited) as short red haired vampire Continuity with the television show Many of the details given in the film differ from the continuity of the later television series. For example, Buffy's history is dissimilar, and both the vampires' and Slayer's abilities are depicted differently. The vampires in the films die like humans, while in the TV show they turn to dust. Joss Whedon has expressed his disapproval with the movie's interpretation of the script,Bronze VIP Archive - January 17, 1999 stating, "I finally sat down and had written it and somebody had made it into a movie, and I felt like — well, that's not quite her. It's a start, but it's not quite the girl."Ervin-Gore, Shawna, "Dark Horse; Joss Whedon" darkhorse.com (2001). According to the Official Buffy Watcher's Guide, Whedon wrote the pilot to the TV series as a sequel to his original script, which is why the show makes references to events not occurred in the film. In 1999, Dark Horse Comics released a graphic novel adaptation of Whedon's original script under the title, The Origin. Whedon stated: "The Origin comic, though I have issues with it, CAN pretty much be accepted as canonical. They did a cool job of combining the movie script with the series, that was nice, and using the series Merrick and not a certain OTHER thespian who shall remain hated." Box office The film debuted at #5 at the North American box office and eventually grossed a modest $16,624,456. Home releases The film was released on VHS in the U.S. in 1992 by Fox Video and re-released in 1995 under the "Twentieth Century Fox Selections" banner. It was released on DVD in the US in 2001 and on BluRay in 2011. Soundtrack The soundtrack was released on July 28, 1992. # C+C Music Factory featuring Deborah Cooper and Q-Unique – "Keep It Comin' (Dance Till You Can't Dance No More)" # Dream Warriors – "Man Smart, Woman Smarter" # Matthew Sweet – "Silent City" # Susanna Hoffs – "We Close Our Eyes" (originally by Oingo Boingo) # Toad the Wet Sprocket – "Little Heaven" # diVINYLS – "I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore" # Ozzy Osbourne – "Party with the Animals" # The Cult – "Zap City" # Mary's Danish – "I Fought the Law" # Rob Halford and Pantera – "Light Comes Out of Black" The soundtrack does not include every song played in the film, which also included "In the Wind" by War Babies and "Inner Mind" by Eon. Remake On May 25, 2009, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Roy Lee and Doug Davison of Vertigo Entertainment were working with Fran Rubel Kuzui and Kaz Kuzui on a re-envisioning or relaunch of the Buffy film for the big screen. The film would not be a sequel or prequel to the existing film or television franchise and Joss Whedon would have no involvement in the project. None of the characters, cast, or crew from the television series would be featured. Television series executive producer Marti Noxon later reflected that this story might have been produced by the studio in order to frighten Whedon into taking the reins of the project. On November 22, 2010, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Warner Bros. had picked up the movie rights to the remake. The film is set for release sometime in 2012. 20th Century Fox, which usually holds rights to the more successful Buffy/''Angel'' television franchise, will retain merchandising and some distribution rights. The idea of the remake caused wrath among fans of the TV series, since Whedon is not involved and the project does not have any connection with the show and will not conform to the continuity maintained with the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight and Season Nine comic book titles. Not only the fandom, but the main cast members of both Buffy and Angel series, expressed disagreement with the report on Twitter and in recent interviews. In December 2010, it was announced that Glee actress Heather Morris was in talks for the lead role in the upcoming film. However, Whit Anderson, screenwriter on the film, indicated that casting had not begun. When asked about the rumor during the launch of her endorsement of FLIRT! cosmetics, Morris told the TV program Access Hollywood that she was aware of her apparent consideration for the role and was excited about it. Though she did not categorically confirm that she was approached to do the reboot, Morris is not opposed to the idea, provided that production would not interfere with her Glee duties. The Vampire Diaries cast member Candice Accola also expressed interest, according to an E! Online interview. As a fan of the original film, Accola said she never watched the TV show, but thinks that the Buffy film is a "fun girl-power thing". In December 2011, more than a year after the official reboot announcement, the Los Angeles Times site reported that Whit Anderson, the writer picked for the new Buffy movie, had her script rejected by the producers behind the project, and that a new writer was being sought. Sources also stated that “If you’re going to bring it back, you have to do it right. Anderson came in with some great ideas and she had reinvented some of the lore and it was pretty cool but in the end there just wasn’t enough on the page.” See also * The Origin, a comic book reinterpretation of the movie script References External links * * * * Film Category:1992 films Category:1990s action films Category:1990s comedy films Category:1990s horror films Category:20th Century Fox films Category:American films Category:Action comedy films Category:Comedy horror films Category:American teen films Category:English-language films Category:Feminist films Category:Films set in Los Angeles, California Category:Vampires in film and television